Prep Greens: Thoroughly wash the baby spinach and dry it completely using a salad spinner or towels. Place dried spinach in a large salad bowl.

Prep Berries: Gently wash, pat dry, hull, and slice or quarter the strawberries. Add them to the bowl with the spinach.

Toast Nuts: Place nuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat, let cool slightly.

Make Dressing: In a small jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, optional sweetener, optional poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Seal jar and shake well, or whisk vigorously in the bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble Salad: Add the toasted nuts and optional crumbled paneer to the salad bowl with the spinach and strawberries.

Dress & Serve: Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad. Toss gently to coat lightly. Add more dressing if needed. Serve immediately.

Use the freshest, highest-quality spinach and ripe strawberries for the best flavor.

Drying the spinach thoroughly is crucial to prevent sogginess. A salad spinner is highly recommended.

Do not overdress the salad. Start with half the dressing, toss gently, and add more only if needed. Serve extra dressing on the side.

Toast nuts over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool slightly before adding to avoid wilting spinach.

Taste the dressing and adjust the balance of lemon juice and optional sweetener to your preference.

Assemble and dress the salad immediately before serving for optimal texture and freshness.

Toss gently to avoid bruising the delicate ingredients.

Slice strawberries just before assembling.

Store washed/dried spinach, sliced berries, toasted nuts, and dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Assemble just before serving. Do not store leftover dressed salad.

Tender lettuces for spinach; walnuts, sunflower/pumpkin seeds for pecans/almonds; omit paneer (avoid aged/strong cheeses like feta/goat for this recipe's profile); mild apple cider vinegar (less amount) for lemon.